Mid Year Music Check-In
We’ve made it halfway through the year - time to check in on a few songs I’ve been enjoying lately.
Nuovo Testamento - “Intuition”
I’m still rather obsessed with Nuovo Testamento’s 2021 album New Earth which I only discovered six months ago. It manages to expertly ride the line between darkwave and italo-disco inspired pop. I wrote previously about my love of their song “The Searcher”, but after having the album on constant repeat I’ve become very fond of album closer “Intuition”. The male response vocals reminds me a bit of Depeche Mode, and I really dig the unusual song structure - like how the breakdown is placed where you’d expect the second verse to start, or how the chorus isn’t repeated again until the end. I also dig how singer Chelsey Crowley’s vocals approach something resembling a transatlantic accent. For me this is a top contender for song of the year.
Body of Light - “Bitter Reflection”
The Arizonian brothers who comprise Body of Light have created something here sounding like a long lost 80s slow jam. In my opinion the video is a bit much. At first I thought it was a bit of parody to be honest, with the soft focus filtered candles, and the singer looking like he just stepped out of a Frankie Goes to Hollywood video shoot. But they play it straight, and that’s fine.
Oh right - the video also features actor James Duval crying for some reason (I guess you could say he’s bitterly reflecting). At first I thought it was odd that he was here, but then I noticed he also played the TV announcer last year in the video for Boy Harsher’s “Machina” so it would appear he’s been hanging out in the goth/dark music scene I guess. Regardless of the video, it’s a very well done jam.
Bunny X & SelloRekt/LA Dreams - “Breaking Away (Song for Chevette & Rydell)”
I generally loathe retrowave/synthwave. Mind you, I get the appeal. A microgenre composed of dreamy 80s inspired synths mimicking the sound of 80s soundtracks (think of the Miami Vice theme or the Stranger Things intro music). I loathe it because while on the surface it greatly appeals to me, it’s all just so terribly derivative. Generally if you’ve heard one synthwave track you’ve heard them all.
Bunny X aren’t all that different to be honest, yet I’ve found their album Love Minus 80 such an easy breeze of a listen. I can just put it on while I’m doing work or running errands and it just never gets in the way. Their song “Breaking Away” is a good example. It’s just an easy dreamy listen. The vocals remind me a bit of Lady Gaga. Ugh, I guess I like a synthwave album now. Oh, and if you’re wondering who the two named people the song is for, it’s two characters from some sci-fi novel.